[News] HAVELSAN BARKAN – Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)

In today’s complex security environment, land forces face an ever-increasing variety and frequency of threats. Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) have become indispensable for integrating cutting-edge technology into military operations. Equipped with advanced sensor suites and capable of remote or fully autonomous operation, these platforms assess their surroundings in real time, enabling critical missions—such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and ammunition resupply—without risking human lives. UGVs come in various sizes and configurations and continue to evolve rapidly, playing diverse and decisive roles on the modern digital battlefield.

Developed by HAVELSAN to meet the demands of contemporary combat, the BARKAN unmanned ground vehicle represents a major leap forward in robotic warfare. Designed as a true force multiplier for dismounted troops, BARKAN significantly enhances mission success rates while reducing casualties and operational costs. With its emphasis on firepower, versatility, and battlefield-proven reliability, BARKAN excels in complex terrain and adverse weather conditions.

BARKAN combines remote-control flexibility with genuine autonomous mission capability, positioning it as an essential partner for future land forces. Its swarm-ready architecture enables seamless integration with other ground and aerial platforms under centralized command, delivering superior joint and collaborative combat effectiveness.

Thanks to its modular, open-architecture design, BARKAN can be rapidly reconfigured with a wide range of payloads to perform diverse roles, including armed ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), close protection, armed reconnaissance, counter-IED operations, casualty evacuation, and CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) detection. Its low acoustic and thermal signature, combined with outstanding agility, makes BARKAN uniquely suited for high-risk missions, providing precise fire support and multi-sensor intelligence exactly where and when it is needed most.

Key Platform Specifications

• Maximum speed: 13 km/h

• Dimensions (L × W × H): 140 × 90 × 110 cm

• Unladen weight: 380 kg

• Payload capacity: 200 kg

• Operating time: > 3 hours

• Propulsion: Electric motors

• Portable design for rapid deployment

• Operating temperature range: -20°C to +49°C

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Mission Capabilities

• Leader-follower operations

• Obstacle avoidance

• Traversable route selection

• Dynamic path planning

• Autonomous patrolling

• GPS-denied navigation and mission execution

• 7.62 mm weapon station

• 40 mm grenade launcher

• Robotic manipulator arm (EOD/IED tasks)

• Cargo transport and towing

• CBRN detection and sampling system

• Day/night reconnaissance

• Real-time 3D mapping

• Medical evacuation and casualty extraction

  
  

With its blend of autonomy, modularity, and combat-proven performance, HAVELSAN BARKAN is redefining the role of unmanned systems on tomorrow’s battlefield—delivering decisive capability today while protecting the lives of those who serve.